Nothing like a well-seasoned iron skillet in the hands of a Southern cook.
I like old things. Old things like my blue bathrobe, my fuzzy green throw, my mama’s recipes for pecan pie and pound cake, family photographs, old friends, my eight-pound iron skillet, my cuddle chair, my favorite thimble, my china teacup, hymns, and some of my favorite books – need I go on? These old things are comfortable. They’re tried and true, and I know they work for me. Earlier this list would have included my house shoes because I liked them until our daughter Kimberly gave me a new pair.
Now the new ones were not just any pair of house shoes, but the most comfortable pair of any kind of shoes that have ever been on my feet (which have circled the globe at least twice, mostly in uncomfortable shoes). You see, when you wear a skinny size five, you cannot find shoes of any kind to fit. Many a time, I’ve resorted to the children’s department, coming out with shoes that look like Shirley Temple might have worn them, but the consolation is they were cheaper.
Back to the new shoes Kimberly gave me – these foot-phenoms are warm and have a thick sole which increases my height about an inch. Now that may be insignificant to you, but when you can see eye-to-eye with a fire hydrant, that one inch can really make a difference – especially when you’re washing dishes or chopping vegetables on countertops seemingly designed for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
If there is a foot heaven, this is it.
Not only am I an inch taller, but the inside of these shoes is made of this new material that conforms exactly to the shape of my foot. Now friends, it doesn’t get much better than that. (Tempur-pedic from Brookstones, and I promise I don’t get a commission.)
I do like other new things, too. New things like Thai restaurants, the latest pasta recipe, the convenience of cell phones, the latest NY Times Best Seller, the just-released TransSiberian orchestra recording, new friends, Facebook (still getting familiar with Twitter), a new travel destination, and exotic teas I haven’t tried. New things work for me, too. They keep my life from getting too comfortable. No way will I ever be bored with all these new possibilities.
I would never have known such bliss of feeling like I’m walking on cotton-candy clouds if I had been reluctant to try something new. You might be wondering what happened to my old slippers. Well, they’re gone. I mean dumpster-gone, and I don’t miss them one bit. As much as I like new things, not everything new goes on as easily as my new slippers. As much as I like old things, I can get comfortable with new things that work for me. But Teflon will never replace my iron skillet. And looking at another pound cake or pecan pie recipe? You’ve got to be kidding.
